Ceticultsot
Beautiful, moving film.
Monkeywess
This is an astonishing documentary that will wring your heart while it bends your mind
Allison Davies
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
valadas
I could also say hallucinating or stunning rhythm. The leading character is performed by Jean-Claude Van Damme a Belgian actor and karate champion in a movie where he represents himself in a fiction plot (supposedly autobiographic?) that involves a post office bank assault with hostage retention where he gets caught on while trying to raise money. The whole movie is shot on that place and outside around it with the usual police attempt to negotiate with the sequestrator before stormimg the place. It results from a mistake that Van Damme is supposed to be the assaulter and sequestrator by the police and the public outside. Rapid images and scenes go on and on sometimes at a confusing rhythm till the end. At a certain point the movie includes a monologue of several minutes by Van Damme about his life and disappointments. He was also trying hard to keep his daughter's custody from his ex-wife but he was not succeeding at that. This movie is half funny half dramatic and is only worth for what you see while you keep watching it, I mean no message and no special meaning.
cinemajesty
"JCVD" gives homage to the actor Jean-Claude Van Damme, who's career kicked off in 1988 with an action movie called "Bloodsport". The film produced in season 2007/2008 in the actor's originated area Belgium has been given an art-house touch by director Mabrouk El Mechri, who is having fun with the written material, but is unable to make any statement that would stick with the audience after the movie runs out. In that sense the film stays a visual collage of arranged sequences in which the lead takes reminiscence to his past movies and signature action moves. Anything further in the script as sub themes from a custody court drama to a bank hostage situation is forgettable. The cinematographer wants to be innovative as Emmanuel Lubezki's orchestrated urban war sequence in "Children of Men" (2006) but only falls flat with no immersive push ins. So everything whats left of an indecisively directed wanna-be art-house film is the performance of Jean-Claude Van Damme, who uses the loosely connected scenes to show some personal character insides beyond the usual physical action.
Mr-Fusion
The idea of a (once) movie star offering himself up for mockery and self-deprecation is interesting on so many levels, especially when it's a story of said wash-out being swallowed up in a takeover incident. Give Van Damme credit for being a good sport for this. More importantly, he proves himself here as an actor. On that basis alone, "JCVD" deserves your attention.That said, the movie eventually settles into a groove that becomes a rut. That bank scenes are never as good as the sweet opening action extravaganza, or the time-out Van Damme takes late in the game to address the audience. It's during these two scenes that the movie really hits those high notes. But then it's back to the grinding hostage stuff.6/10
SnoopyStyle
JCVD (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a struggling B-movie action actor trying to maintain some artistic integrity despite everyone around him. He has custody problems and returned from family court in LA. He has been sleepless for 2 days. He goes into the bank and shots ring out. He's taken hostage but the cops think that he's the hostage taker.JCVD shows some acting chop or he's tapping into his inner self. It's so fascinating that he is such a mess. It's also a mess that isn't unrealistic. There is a bit of action but that's not the heart of this movie. It is to watch JCVD break down his public image and then break down his character. The movie could use an A-list actor to be the bad guy as his foil. Nevertheless this is one of the greatest performance from JCVD ever.
